Has anybody else noticed the eerie similarity between the drop in unemployment over the last three months, recorded by the Office for National Statistics (132,000), and the number of jobseekers put on sanction by the Department for Work and Pensions every month (170,000)?

According to a Guardian report, the Lib Dems said the number of sanction referrals has increased from around 60,000 a month in the early part of the last decade to around 170,000 today – and went on to state that around 15 per cent of these sanctions were overturned on the grounds that the decision was flawed.

That means 144,500 jobseekers would be off-benefit at the moment. If the figures show a drop of only 132,000, then unemployment has in fact risen by 12,500 people!

People claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance who have their benefits sanctioned by DWP staff are not included in unemployment counts. Nor are those who have been sucked into mandatory work activity schemes, for that matter…

The Liberal Democrats, you see, want to introduce a “yellow card” system – well they would; yellow is their colour – to give rule-breaking jobseekers a final warning before sanctions are imposed, and DWP bosses a chance to check the facts and avoid mistakes.

On the face of it, this might seem like a good idea – and it would be very interesting to monitor such a scheme, if implemented.

If the claimant count were to rise, we would have proof that the Conservatives have been using sanctions to manipulate the figures.

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15 thoughts on “Fall in unemployment = number of people on sanctions”

those were my thoughts as soon as i read the figures this morning…how many were people who had been sanctioned and how many on workfare and similar schemes not being counted. similarly how many are there who were found fit for work but arent fit enough so when they tried claiming JSA were told they are too ill. where do those figures belong?

I have read several articles and a lot of them say “A drop in Claimants” not the same as being employed,also Mark Carney BOE stated that he would raise interest rates once unemployment fell to 7%,he delayed this,but even with this “Miracle drop” he has just stated that he will not set a date that interest rates will rise,my feeling is he can read through the BS,but it surprises me that most can’t.

off course they fixed the figures of course they fibbed and telling those they helping them back to work it seems thats true too but only stacking shelves for the salvation army and the like yet working were how and who it seems telling stories or should i dare say telling porkies is the tory way jeff3

Presumably, the suggestion is that sanctions force people to find work, and that people who have been sanctioned are now employed. The reality is, that they’re just no longer included in the unemployment figures and the unemployment rates come down? Destitution and employment are very different situations to be in. If the figures are being manipulated it’s time the truth was out.